Bitter Sweetness
by Koikage
Summary: formerly Broken and Healed... Rejection and acceptance in one day is to much for Inoue to bear... Sorry for changing the title. I think the new title tells more about the plot... Warning: M for later chapters IchiRuki, InoTatsu o0


Disclaimer: Kubo Taito still owns the manga series BLEACH… Tsk… Hehehe… Anyway, I hope this is enough to explain everything

Disclaimer: Kubo Taito still owns the manga series BLEACH… Tsk… Hehehe… Anyway, I hope this is enough to explain everything.

A/N: This is my second fanfiction… Er…

Warning: M for lemon (mf, ff) in later chapters . It's T for now… I think. If you're a kid or not mature enough, try hitting back button.

blah – must read

"…blah…" – thoughts (main character's / someone else's)

"…blah…" – said by someone else

Bitter Sweetness

Chapter 1: Dilemma

"RRRIIINNNGGG!"

The bell rang. It was dismissal time.

"Ok, class. I think that's all for today. For those who are not done yet with their seatworks, submit them to me before six o'clock. Class dismissed."

It was Friday then, the start of the weekends.

"… Not done yet? C'mon, hurry up! We'll be late for taekwondo practice…"

"… Ok. I'll meet you at Mayric's…"

"… You girls wanna hang out with us during the weekends…"

As soon as the teacher have gone, everyone busied themselves catching up to team practices, going to club meetings, or talking about plans for the coming weekends. Well, probably except for Inoue.

"…I wonder what would his reaction be…" Inoue asked in mind, unconsciously stacking her things inside her bag.

"Hey, Inoue-san."

"Eh? Oh, hello Ishida-kun."

Inoue woke from her pondering, being called to attention by Ishida. Ishida looked serious as usual, although more like worried during that time.

"Was there something bothering you, Inoue-san? You've been acting like that since the last period…"

"Me? Nuh-uh. It's nothing, Ishida-kun. No need to worry."

Inoue smiled.

"Oh… Ok… By the way, the handicraft club meeting we'll be starting soon. Aren't you coming?"

"Umm… Sorry, Ishida-kun. I can't make it to the meeting today. I have something else to do…"

Ishida raised an eyebrow, looking suspicious.

"It's not like I'm ditching the meeting. It's just that it's something very important to me…"

Ishida still looked suspicious, although more like considering Inoue's excuse.

"Please? Just this once. I promise I'll catch up to everything next meeting…" Inoue pleaded.

"Oh well… I guess it can't be helped…" Ishida sighed

"Thank you very much, Ishida-kun!" Inoue said, kissing Ishida on the cheek.

Ishida flushed, too shocked to utter a word. It took him a while to realize that Inoue has already gone.

"See you then, Inoue-san…"

Ten minutes has passed after dismissal time. Inoue walked slowly along the corridor, staring at the sky outside the window, pondering on a single thought.

"… How should I tell him…"

She shifted her gaze from the sky to the floor, resuming her pondering.

"… Hmm…"

Suddenly, she stopped, shifting her gaze from the floor to the ceiling as though imagining something.

"… Maybe if I… Well… Umm… Not a good idea…"

She continued walking. By the looks of her face, she seemed to consider a lot of things in her mind. Suddenly, as she was approaching the end of the corridor, she stopped. Another idea crossed her mind.

"… Maybe if I just tell him straightforward… A-and then rush into his arms… and then embrace him tightly.. and then… and then… Kyaa!"

Inoue can't help but giggle at the thought. People around her started to star at her. Some blankly. Some curiously. Some, lustfully.

"... Eh…"

"… I wonder what Orihime-san's thinking about…"

"… Ehehe so cute…"

"… I'll get you one of these days, you bitch! If it wasn't for that tomboy…"

"Hey, Inoue-chan!"

"Eh? Oh, hi Tatsuki-chan! What's up?

Tatsuki was her usual boyish self, carrying a school bag in one hand and a sports bag in the other.

"Nothing really. You know. Fridays. Karate practice." Tatsuki said nonchalantly.

"Eh? Oh… Oh yeah I almost forgot about the upcoming nationals. You sure are practicing really hard these past days…"

"Well, for one thing, we should, since we lost it last time. I still can't believe we lost to those jerks…" Tatsuki said, half-furious, half-regretful.

"Oh well… What about you – Wait a minute! I thought you have a meeting with the handicraft club –"

"Oh… That? Well… I sort of excused myself today. I have some thing else to attend to…" Inoue said rather timidly.

"Whoa… I never thought I'd see the day that you ditch a club meeting for no apparent reason – "

"It's not like I'm ditching the meeting. I-I even told Ishida-kun about it… A-and I even promised to make up next meeting… A-and – " Inoue explained, anxious.

"Whoa! Take it easy, Inoue-chan. I'm just kidding."

Inoue glared at Tatsuki, pouting. After some tense moments, Inoue sighed. Tatsuki sighed as well.

"So then, where will we meet after practice?" Tatsuki asked, relieved.

"Ano… I'll be at the tree orchard near the school… But I sort of expecting some else to fetch me there so…" Inoue explained rather coyly, pushing her index fingers against each other. A light shade of crimson tainted her cheeks.

"Oh… Ok…"

"Sorry, Tatsuki-chan. I should have informed you earlier –"

"No, no it's all right. No need to apologize…"

Inoue 's face lighten up, relieved by Tatsuki's assurance.

"Shit! Late for practice again. Gotta run now, Inoue-chan. See yah later…"

"See you later, Tatsuki-chan! Take care!"

Tatsuki ran, her cheeks tainted with shades of crimson.

"Take care too, Inoue-chan…"

Flashback

It was lunchtime, about ten minutes pass twelve. More than half of the class were nowhere to be seen, probably hanging out in the canteen or at the school rooftop. The remainder of the class spent the rest of the lunch break getting some work done, chatting, screwing, or just slumbering on their desk, doing nothing at all.

"… Hey! That's my lunch…"

"… C'mon! I'll give you half of my allowance next week. Just a peek…"

"… Will you shut up! I'm trying to get some sleep here. Sheesh…"

Tatsuki was taking a nap on her desk, trying to catch up with some sleep lost during late night practices. Ishida was all alone in the corner as usual, mending some torn plushies and dresses. Ichigo was dozing off on his desk, listening deafly to Keigo's blabbing.

"… Damn you, hollows! Thanks to you. I've never enjoyed a good night sleep since last week… Some kind of life I have…"

"… Ichigo? Hey, Ichigo, are you listening?"

"W-what? Oh… Oh yeah. Sure. Whatever..."

Rukia seemed to be lost in her own thoughts, slumped on her desk, staring blankly at the blackboard. Inoue was staring outside the window, watching the cherry blossoms rain on the ground as they're being swept away by the wind

"… Why can't you see through me, Kurosaki-kun…"

She shifted her gaze to Ichigo whoa, at that time, has gone far as reading a pocket dictionary just to let go off his boredom.

"… And then I met this girl…"

"… Knuckle, a joint of a finger, especially one of the joints at the roots of the fingers…"

"… And then we went to – what the hell are you doing?"

"What? Oh… Right… What was that again…"

Inoue sighed, returning her gaze at the window.

"…Maybe I should give it a try…"

Flashback within a Flashback

It was Thursday, a quarter past six.

"No more questions? Everything's clear? Good. We'll talk about the rest of the preparations tomorrow. You may go now."

The handicraft meeting was adjourned. Everyone except the major officers left the room. Some were eager to go home. Some walked slowly along the corridor as though on a promenade. Some were in groups, discussing about the club's preparation for the upcoming school festival.

"… The stars seemed to be unusually bright these days…

"… Hey guys, listen. How about we set up a booth selling woven hats…"

"Nicia-san! Nicia-san!" Inoue called, quickening her pace to catch up with her senpai.

"Eh? Oh, Orihime…"

Inoue slowed down, panting slightly.

"What's up?"

"Can I walk with you, Nicia-san?"

"Sure… Er… Where's Tatsuki?" Nicia asked, roaming her eyes around for any sign of Tatsuki."

"Umm... She'll be practicing late today so… You know…"

"Oh… Ok…"

There was a pause.

"Umm… Nicia-san, can I ask you something?" Inoue asked shyly.

"You already did." Nicia replied, smiling.

"Eh? Oh… Right… I mean, seriously, Nicia-san. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure… Well, as long as it's not personal."

"Umm… There's this guy… A-and I sort of have some feelings for him –"

"Well, I suppose that guy is Kurosa –"

"Ah… Eh… Well… The thing is… He seemed to be really oblivious about it… I mean, God knows I've tried, but he seemed to be really clueless… At first, it didn't bother me a bit… But now… It seems that I can't help it anymore… What should I do, Nicia-san?"

Inoue looked at Nicia with teary eyes, anxious to have her questions answered.

"Well… Let me explain this to you first. It's not that he does not recognize your feelings. It's just that some boys do not see through our actions what we really intend or feel. That's why they often say that we are difficult to understand. Maybe Kuros – I mean… He is just too decent to think that he must be misinterpreting your actions or he's just taking them as some act of friendship… Umm… Orihime? Are you still with me?"

Inoue seemed to be pondering real hard on her senpai's words. Nicia sighed.

"Anyway, never mind what I said. The point is, the only thing left to be done is to confess to him."

Inoue looked worried.

"I've already tried that… But I always find myself cowering at the last minute. What if he rejects me? What if he doesn't take me seriously? What if –"

"Let me ask you something… Have you ever considered these 'what if's' when you joined the club?"

"Well… I don't think I did –"

"Have you ever been bothered by these 'what if's' when you were doing something that you really want?"

"Umm… I don't think I have to be –"

"Exactly! It's the same thing when it comes to confessing your feelings. It's not something scientific that you have to consider the 'what if's' first before acting it out. You just have to do it. It's part of the unburdening… I mean, you can't suppress that feeling forever, can you?"

Inoue wasn't able to reply. She seemed to be considering a lot of things in her head.

"Think about it… It's you decision, however, not mine…"

They've already reached the end of the hallway. Only a few lights were left on.

"I think it all ends up here. I have to go to the library. Sie must be still there…"

"Sie?"

"Oh… Haven't you met him? He's my boyfriend…"

"Oh… Right… That explains it…"

"See you tomorrow."

"Thanks, Nicia-san. Take care."

"Same to you. Good luck."

End of Flashback within a Flashback

Inoue approached Ichigo's desk. Walking slowly, she seemed to be resolute yet indecisive on what she's about to do. Every step seemed to make her heart beat faster. Every second seemed to be a tense moment.

"Ummm… K-Kurosaki?"

"Huh? Oh, Inoue…"

Inoue roamed her eyes around, checking if someone is looking. She sighed in relief.

"Er… Was there something wrong?"

"Ummm… K-Kurosaki-kun… Could I have a minute with you?"

"Oh… Sure… What is it?"

"Umm… Ano…"

Inoue seemed to be lost for words, can't think straight because of nervousness.

"… Do you have anything to do after dismissal?"

"Er… Not that I know of. Unless Rukia start dragging me half-conscious along the hallway. Why?"

"Ano… Could you meet me after dismissal?"

"Umm… Ok."

Inoue's face lighten up, her anxiety fading away.

"Really? I-I mean… Is it really ok with you?"

"Yeah… Well, as long as it doesn't it doesn't take long… You know… Dad and his crappy discipline. Sorry, Inoue. I can't risk you seeing me as a shinigami. Where will we meet anyway?"

"At the tree orchard near the school grounds. I promise it won't take long."

Inoue felt relieved. A smile crossed her face.

"So then… Four o'clock at the school grounds?"

"Four o'clock at the school grounds. Thanks, Kurosaki-kun." Inoue said, hiding her crimson face.

"No problem."

End of Flashback

It's been thirty minutes pass dismissal. Inoue was seated on one of the benches at the tree orchard, waiting for Ichigo to arrive.

"… Where are you, Kurosaki-kun…" Inoue said, worried.

"… That chick has been there for about thirty minutes. I wonder whom she's waiting for…"

"… Maybe her boyfriend ditched her…"

"… Let's 'comfort' her hehehe…"

"… Hehehe good idea –"

"… WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING THERE! DITCHING PRACTICE EH? GET BACK HERE YOU WORTHLESS PIECES OF –"

"…Shit! The old fart found us. Disperse…"

The wind started to blow hard, sweeping the fallen cherry blossoms away. Anxiety seized Inoue once again, a look of worry on her face. She roamed her eyes around, searching for any sign of Ichigo coming.

"… What's taking you so long, Kurosaki-kun? Please, show up. Please…"

The wind kept blowing, whispering to Inoue's ear, keeping her from knowing the impending truth. Then, all of a sudden, the wind ceased to blow, as though it lost its momentum, as though it cannot take the deception anymore. Silence fell.

And then she heard them.

"Eh?"

Inoue heard muffled voices among the trees. She went after the source of the sound, as though something inside her is urging her to do so.

"I think it came from here…"

Inoue approached what she thought was the source of the sound. After a while, she saw a clearing.

"… Why am I having this bad feeling…"

As she approached the clearing, the muffled voices became clearer, revealing a conversation.

"I don't know what to say…"

Inoue recognized Ichigo's voice sounding from the clearing.

"Kurosaki –kun?"

Inoue inched closer. One part of her wants to go back, afraid of what she might see. Another part of her urges her to go further, wanting to find out the truth. In the end, the latter prevailed.

"What are you – Ahn! "

Inoue reached the end of the clearing. What she saw strike her like a deadly arrow, leaving her numb, broken, shattered into pieces.

"W-Why…" Inoue can't help but asked, tears flowing down her cheeks.

To be continued…

A/N: Please R&R

Once again, I'll accept anything (flames, thrown tomatoes, thrown knives etc.) and consider every comment and/or suggestion. Thanks for those who r&r my first fanfiction.

P. S. Thanks to someone who is jumping to conclusions… One more crack… You'll have it… o0

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